Scientists resurrect long-extinct plants
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer
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By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer On March 27, Boeing declared that the flight control system — which has been connected to the cause of the crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia that killed 346 people — will be updated, according to CNet. The Ethiopian Airlines crash killed 157 people and follows in the wake of a Lion Air crash over the Java Sea last October that resulted in the deaths of 189 people, which was also caused by issues with the Boeing 737 Max aircraft, Fortune reported. Fortune also reported that on March 13, President Donald Trump grounded all 737 Max aircraft in the U.S. after the Ethiopia crash, according to Fortune. The 737 Max aircraft have been in service since 2017, even before flight simulators were finished for airline use, The Wall Street Journal reported. The flight control system, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, was the culprit under scrutiny. The system in the 737 Max pushes the nose down when it detects that the aircraft will stall. According to CNet, “preliminary data from both crashes show that flight crews struggled to take control as the airplanes continually dove just after takeoff.” In last fall’s Lion Air crash, the MCAS engaged based on incorrect information and kept pushing the nose of the plane down, despite pilot’s attempts to override the system, USA Today reported. While developing the 737 Max, Boeing sought to minimize changes that would necessitate extra pilot training in an effort to reduce airline’s costs, the Wall Street Journal indicates. According to CNet, Boeing and the FAA are facing charges due to the current 737 Max pilot training not mentioning the MCAS system in order to “minimize the cost and time of certifying pilots.” The flight crew training is the center of several investigations including one by Congress, which had a hearing on March 27. Part of the software updates will include making warning lights a standard feature, rather than a paid alternative, so that pilots will be alerted when the MCAS is engaging, the Wall Street Journal indicates. Another part of Boeing’s “fixes” is flight crew training. “Twenty-one or more days of instructor-led and simulator training on the 737 Max, including interacting with MCAS, will be required before pilots can fly the aircraft,” CNet reported. Since computer systems have been shown to respond more smoothly to unusual situations than humans, there is a hesitation to disengage the MCAS completely, the Wall Street Journal indicates. Analysts have determined that the repairs could take between three to six months and cost $500 million. The estimates do not include costs to compensate airlines for lost revenues resulting from grounded planes. However, the more severe costs are likely to result from loss of confidence in the Boeing aircraft, Fortune reported. According to the Wall Street Journal, the negative consumer sentiment is highest in Indonesia, since that is the location of the first crash. USA Today reported that Indonesia’s Garuda Airlines has canceled its entire order of Boeing 737 aircraft due to a loss of confidence in Boeing.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer On Feb. 26, the House passed a resolution opposing President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency in order to obtain funding for the construction of the border wall, CNN reported. The resolution has 18 days from the date of its approval by the House for the Senate to vote on it, according to CNN. The resolution was created to block the president’s use of $3.6 billion from the military construction fund. However, it does not stop him from using $2.4 billion from the Defense Department’s funds for the fight against illegal drugs, nor does it stop him from using $600 million from the Treasury Forfeiture Fund, according to The Wall Street Journal. Congress already passed a bipartisan legislation in February to allocate $1.38 billion for border wall funds, The Wall Street Journal reported. It needs a simple majority to pass, according to The Wall Street Journal, and the resolution is expected to be voted on before the week of March 18, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. In addition to the Senate Democrats, four Republican senators are needed to support the resolution in order for it to pass, according to CNN. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he will vote against the resolution, according to NPR. Along with Paul, Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Kurkowski, R-Alaska and Thom Tillis, R-N.C. will also oppose the president’s declaration of a national emergency, NPR reported. Paul’s support of the resolution is unusual, as it represents a check on the president by a Republican-controlled Senate, according to The Wall Street Journal. NPR reported that Paul has otherwise been Trump’s close ally, with the exception of the national emergency declaration, which also contributes to the significance of his move. According to CNN, Paul explained that he believes it is dangerous to take away the system of checks and balances. “‘I can’t vote to give the President the power to spend money that hasn’t been appropriated by Congress,’” Paul said, according to CNN. Other Republican senators have also expressed their discomfort in allowing the president to use more money when he was already given funding by Congress last month, The Wall Street Journal reported. The president has indicated he will veto the resolution if it is passed. Paul’s support indicates that the resolution could get through the Senate with bipartisan support and lead to Trump’s first veto, according to NPR. Due to rules set in the National Emergencies Act of 1976, the vote for the resolution cannot be filibustered, NPR reported.
By Anandita Mehta Correspondent On Feb. 7, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), unveiled the first draft of the Green New Deal, according to Time Magazine. The Green New Deal is a broad reaching manifesto that calls for a plan to combat the country’s carbon footprint and better develop its climate change policy, according to The Washington Post. The 14-page resolution aims to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and pollution by using 100 percent clean and renewable energy in energy-efficient buildings and transportation systems and reducing carbon emissions in the agricultural sector, according to CNN. In addition to the greenhouse gas and carbon emissions reduction, the plan aims to revitalize labor laws, by strengthening workers’ rights to unionize as well as guaranteeing jobs with family-sustaining wages and adequate paid leave time as well as establishing standards with regards to wages and hours worked, CNN reported. The Green New Deal also seeks to provide training and resources with regards to higher quality and higher education for frontline and vulnerable communities, according to CNN. According to The Washington Post, Republican critics described the resolution as a “non-starter that reeks of socialism,” according to The Washington Post. Some experts have also called the Green New Deal “overambitious and unworkable,” as quoted in The Washington Post. Even Democrats call the resolution “naive” while simultaneously praising its enthusiasm, Time Magazine reported. Ken Caldeira, an atmospheric researcher at the Carnegie Institution for Science, stated that the plan’s goals are achievable if the country mobilizes around the cause of climate change as it did around the fight against Germany and Japan during World War II, The Washington Post reported. President Donald Trump has directly criticized the Green New Deal, tweeting that it seeks to eliminate “‘all Planes, Cars Cows, Oil, Gas & the Military,’” The Washington Post reported. The Green New Deal is a resolution about policy priorities, but it has no force as a law, according to The Washington Post. In order to have a legal force, it needs more legislative proposals.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Amazon ended its yearlong search for a location for its new headquarters — the corporation opted to split its headquarters into two locations –– Long Island City, New York and Crystal City, Virginia, according to The Wall Street Journal. Crystal City is an attractive location because of its proximity to major transportation hubs like various metro stops and the Reagan National Airport, according to The Wall Street Journal. Long Island City also has plenty of access to transportation, including the subway system, the Long Island Rail Road and two major airports –– JFK and LaGuardia. Virginia officials, including Gov. Ralph Northam, agreed to give the company $819 million in return for the creation of the 25,000 jobs in the area at an average annual salary of more than $150,000, according to The Washington Post. In New York, Amazon is set to receive a $1.2 billion tax break for creating another 25,000 jobs also with an average annual salary of more than $150,000, according to The New Yorker. While most officials and businesses in the chosen states are looking forward to the economic benefits the headquarters will bring, Amazon’s announcement has not been so well-received by local residents and officials alike, according to The Washington Post. In New York, representative-elect Alexandria Ocasio Cortez criticized Amazon’s choice. She said that while the company will receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks, the state will continue to suffer from crumbling subway systems and other infrastructure, according to The New Yorker. “‘We need more investment, not less,’” she said, according to The New Yorker. While some community members saw the expansion of Amazon as a chance for people to enter the middle class when they otherwise would not have been able to, other residents of Long Island City protested against Amazon’s plans to expand into their city on Nov. 14, according to ABC. The protests reflected residents’ concerns over a lack of the company’s investment in the city’s infrastructure. The protestors said that the money should instead be used to improve the transit system, affordable housing and public schools, according to ABC. Economically, the arrival of the headquarters in both New York and Virginia will also likely raise rent costs and home prices, pushing low-income residents out of these areas, according to MarketWatch.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Italy faces historic flooding from a thunderstorm and hurricane system on Oct. 29 that affected the country from Sicily, an island in the southern part of the country, to the Piedmont region, in the north, according to The New York Times. Twenty-nine people have died as a result of the flooding and 14 million trees were uprooted across Italy due to high speed winds, according to Express. As a result of the flooding, 11 of Italy’s 20 regions declared a state of emergency, with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte declaring an orange alert, which refers to high tides, for the entire country, according to Express. The flooding was the result of a seasonal high tide and low pressure system circulating in Southern Europe, CNN reported. In Venice, fierce winds blowing at 112 mph brought the high tide to 61 inches above average sea level, according to The New York Times. Although these floodwaters were at the highest level they have been in a decade, they were not the highest the city of Venice has ever seen. In 1966, floodwaters reached 76 inches, the city’s all time high, according to The New York Times. Conte is also planning on providing an aid package worth $174 million for the country’s “clean-up bill,” which totals to approximately $3.5 billion, according to Express. A spokesman for Venice’s Civil Protection Agency explained to CNN that a flood barrier system known as the Moses Project could have alleviated some of the flood water damage from the storm system. However, the project is not yet completed. The New Venice Consortium, which is responsible for the construction of the Moses Project, stated that the system, which began in 2003, is about 92 to 93 percent complete, according to CNN. Members of the board managing St. Mark’s Basilica and the Venetian Heritage Foundation are concerned about the lasting damage saltwater flooding has on historic buildings which will only show in time, according to The New York Times. Toto Bergamo Rossi, director of the Venetian Heritage Foundation, reflected on the irony of how Venice grew rich from the salt trade, but salt is now the city’s enemy as it slowly damages historic sights such as cafes, gardens and other city treasures, The New York Times reported.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi on Sept. 28, generating a massive tsunami in its wake, according to Al Jazeera. The death toll from the combined disasters reached 1,571 as of Oct. 5. The nation initially planned to use only its own military resources to respond to the disasters, but Indonesian President Joko Widodo agreed to accept foreign aid after viewing the extent of the damage, according to Al Jazeera. The United Nations has requested $50.5 million in aid for immediate relief as the full extent of the disaster becomes apparent. One-thousand of the earthquake’s victims may be buried in mud, as the tsunami and earthquake have made the ground extremely wet, according to Al Jazeera. The country’s economy is also suffering. The Indonesian currency, the rupiah, weakened this week to less than 15,000 rupiah per dollar for the first time in 20 years, Bloomberg reported. While the port of Palu did reopen, rescuers are still struggling to deliver aid and supplies to the island of Sulawesi because of damaged roads and airstrips, according to the Wall Street Journal. Widodo visited Palu for the second time on Wednesday, Oct. 3 and laid out steps for its recovery. Although power was restored there on Oct. 4, around 370, 000 people have been misplaced. Widodo is prioritizing evacuation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the area, according to Al Jazeera. The rescue efforts lack organization, according to Al Jazeera. Most citizens do not have water, rescue efforts have been impeded by a shortage of proper heavy equipment and rescuers cannot adequately sift through the debris by hand. Rescuers are almost certain that they will find no survivors in the neighborhood of Petobo, a city that Iris van Deinze, a spokeswoman for the International Committee of Red Cross described as “wiped off the map,” according to The New York Times. Highlighting nature’s unpredictability, the neighborhood of Balaroa –– a few blocks from Petobo’s vast destruction –– remained fully intact, according to The New York Times. Death tolls from the earthquake are expected to rise, and full recovery from the disaster is expected to take years, according to Al Jazeera.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina as a Category 1 storm with maximum winds of 90 mph on Sept 14, at 7:15 a.m. The eye of the storm was about ten miles from Wilmington, North Carolina. 10 million were people under hurricane watch or warning, and 1.7 million people were mandated to evacuate, according to Time. The storm was downgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 2 and then finally down to a Category 1 as it made landfall, according to USA Today. The categorizations are based on the Saffir Simpson Hurricane wind scale. This is only a wind-based scale, and downgrading the storm does not mean that the storm has lessened in overall intensity, according to USA Today. Water levels in northeastern South Carolina were measured at 10 inches above their normal state, and North Carolina rivers are at major flood stages, according to CBS. As of Sept. 19, the storm killed 37 people, with 27 casualties in North Carolina, eight in South Carolina and two in Virginia, according to CBS. Among the casualties were at least three children, and two mental health patients –– the latter of whom drowned while being transported in a sheriff’s van, according to CBS. There are at least 343,000 people without power in North Carolina, with a combined total of 500,000 homes and businesses without power in North and South Carolina. Additionally, 10,000 people are in shelters in North Carolina after being displaced from their homes due to evacuation and damage, according to CBS. Along with human casualties, Florence also brought about environmental damage — 63,000 gallons of untreated wastewater leaked into North Buffalo, a tributary of the Cape Fear River Basin in North Carolina, according CBS. All of the severe damage contributed to Hurricane Florence’s ranking in the top 10 most costly storms in U.S. History. However, CBS estimates that there would have been more damage had the hurricane hit a more coastal part of North Carolina, rather than hitting the inland portion of the state.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Protesters for and against Germany’s refugee policies clashed in the streets in the German city of Chemnitz on Sept. 1, following the stabbing of a 35-year-old German carpenter, according to Al Jazeera. The victim of the stabbing, identified by the police as Daniel H., was killed the previous week on Aug. 27, according to CNN. An Iraqi man, 21, and a Syrian man, 22, were arrested in connection with the stabbing, according to Reuters. Al Jazeera estimates that 4,500 right wing supporters and 3,500 left wing protesters took to the streets of the eastern German city in the wake of the stabbing, while 1,800 police officers were stationed at the protests to maintain order between both sides. Due to a larger than expected turnout, an extra 200 police officers were deployed to Chemnitz during the course of the protests. There were 18 reported injuries and 37 crimes under investigation as a result of the protests, according to CNN. Both the right wing anti-immigration protesters and the opposition used fireworks that resulted in injuries. This led the police to respond with water cannons, according to Reuters. “If the state is no longer to protect citizens then people take to the streets and protect themselves,” Alternative for Germany politician Markus Frohnmaier tweeted in response to the killing, according to Reuters. Justice Minister Heiko Maas stated that Germany has become “too comfortable,” and he urges the “silent majority” to stand up to the far right, anti-immigration protesters, according to CNN. German Chancellor Angela Merkel conveyed a message through her spokesperson, Steffen Seibert, denouncing the far-right protesters. She stated the German government condemns such “vigilante justice” and the hounding of people who look different and come from different backgrounds, according to Reuters.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Defense Secretary James Mattis approved Pentagon funding on April 6 for the deployment of 4,000 National Guardsmen to the U.S.-Mexico border, according to CNBC. President Donald Trump issued a statement on April 4 declaring his intent to deploy the troops to fight against illegal immigration, according to CNBC. The statement also detailed that Secretary Mattis will work with the Department of Homeland Security to train and direct troops to secure the border, according to CNN. “We stand ready to support the needs of the state and the nation at the request of the governor or the president,” said Lt. Col Travis Walters, a spokesman for the Texas Military Department, according to The New York Times. Though federal law prohibits the National Guard from acting as law enforcement, its role will include supporting Border Patrol with training and intelligence gathering, according to CNN. Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush deployed the National Guard to the border in 2012 and 2006, according to CNBC. The border’s mobilization cost the state of Texas $63 million in 2015, when former Gov. Greg Abbott continued deployment, according to The New York Times. Though three presidents have put forth action to deploy troops to the border, it is under the state governor’s jurisdiction to control and command them, according to CNBC. According to the federal law known as Title 32, the state controls and commands the National Guard, but they are federally funded, according to The New York Times. “The mobilization supports the priorities of the governor and the President in securing our borders,” said Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Tracy Norris, according to CNN. Democratic Gov. of Montana Steve Bullock refused to send National Guardsmen to the border, while Republican Gov. of New Mexico Susana Martinez promised to promptly send troops, according to The New York Times. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey plans to deploy about 150 guardsmen to the border, according to CNBC. Texas has already sent 250 troops, but plans to deploy more, according to CNN. “It sounds to me more like political rhetoric than something that is actually needed on our border,” said Democratic Representative Vicente Gonzalez, whose district includes the border town of McAllen, Texas, according to The New York Times. “It’s the wildest thing in the world for us to hear that they want to bring National Guard troops to the border region.”
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Pro-democracy voters in Hong Kong failed to fulfill their goal of drawing power away from China’s Communist government after winning only half of the vacant legislative spots in by-elections on March 11, according to Reuters. Two ideological parties have been competing to fill the positions for the past eight months — the pro-establishment group sympathizes with the Chinese government and the pro-democracy group advocates for representative democracy in Hong Kong, according to The Economist. The elections involved four out of six open positions on the Legislative Council, which formerly belonged to six lawmakers whose oaths of office were disqualified. According to Reuters, four of the ousted representatives were pro-democracy, and the other two were pro-establishment. The pro-democracy group won two seats with candidates Au Nok-Hin and Gary Fan. The pro-establishment group won the remaining two seats with candidates Vincent Cheng and Tony Tse, according to The Hong Kong Free Press. The pro-democracy group, which was expected to win three of the four open seats, suffered at the polls due to low voter turnout, according to TIME. The Legislative Council is a leftover governing body from when Hong Kong was under British rule, according to The Economist. It has 70 positions in total, half of which are filled by direct votes from civilians. Since Hong Kong returned to Chinese control in 1997, the city retains semi-autonomy under the “one country, two systems” approach, according to TIME. The democracy movement has been growing in recent years, especially within youth communities. Pro-democracy street protests and sit-ins were included in a 2014 operation called the Umbrella Movement, according to The New York Times. The democratic political views include support of self-determination for Hong Kong, which the central government of China sees as a gateway to the city declaring independence, according to Reuters. After ousting the six lawmakers from their positions on the Legislative Council, the Chinese government issued an interpretation of how the oaths of office should be read, which angered young lawyers who saw the move as Beijing exerting authority over the city, according to Reuters. Despite the democracy movement’s growth in recent years, the strong political fervor is not widespread amongst Hong Kong’s citizenry. The elections were fairly quiet, with few candidate banners, televised debates or popularity polls, according to Reuters. Only 43 percent of eligible voters came out to vote, according to TIME. “The mood is subdued,” said Peter Lee, a student who attended a pro-democracy rally, according to Reuters. “Many people feel helpless and think things can’t be changed and the central government will eventually take control over Hong Kong. But that’s why we need to come out now to demand changes, before it’s too late.”
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Chinese President Xi Jinping announced his intent to abolish the nation’s two-term limit for presidents on Feb. 25, according to The New York Times. In China, a presidential term lasts for five years, limiting each president to a maximum of 10 years in office. In addition to serving as China’s president, Xi serves as the Communist Party’s general secretary and military chief, which are positions with indefinite term limits, according to The New York Times. The term limit was originally put in place in 1982 in an effort to prevent leaders like Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping from having lifetime tenures. During the Cultural Revolution, which spanned from 1966-1976, Mao gained influence by using fear tactics, according to The Washington Post. “Xi Jinping has finally achieved his ultimate goal when he first embarked on Chinese politics,” said Willy Lam, Xi’s biographer and a political analyst at the Chinese University in Hong Kong, according to The Washington Post. “That is to be the Mao Zedong of the 21st century.” Xi’s previous two predecessors abided by the 10-year limit, and until recently Xi was expected to as well. The abolishment breaks tradition and is an indicator of increasing centralized government control, according to The Washington Post. Xi has undertaken anti-corruption campaigns and harsh security measures preventing anti-government public protests, making public backlash against the term abolishment seem unlikely, according to The New York Times. The announcement comes at the peak of Xi’s political career, as well as at the end of his first presidential term. For most Chinese leaders, authority begins to decrease as the end of the term grows nearer. Xi also lacks political competitors, which further reinforces his position, according to The New York Times. Xi has also broken political norms and traditions by failing to appoint a clear successor at a meeting of the National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October 2017. He appointed older men closer to his own age to the rather than following the precedent of appointing younger men, according to The New York Times. President Donald Trump also broke political precedent by expressing optimism in Xi’s decision in a speech to Republican donors at his Florida estate on Saturday, March 3, according to The Washington Post. “(Xi is) President for life. No, he's great. And, look, he was able to do that. I think it's great,” Trump said. “Maybe we'll have to give that a shot someday.” Even though Xi is at the height of his political power, his future standing will depend on his handling of government debt, social welfare reform and China’s relationship with other powerful countries, according to The Washington Post. “Xi Jinping is susceptible to making big mistakes because there are now almost no checks or balances,” Lam said. “Essentially, he has become emperor for life.”
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Hong Kong suffered its deadliest traffic-related incident since 2003 on Feb. 11, when a double-decker bus crashed and overturned in a rural area of the city, killing 19 and injuring 65, according to The New York Times. Hong Kong’s public transportation system is generally considered to be safe. Chief Executive of Hong Kong Carrie Lam has created an independent panel led by a judge to examine traffic safety, according to The New York Times. The bus was traveling from it’s stop at the Sha Tin horse-racing track when the bus came to a turn near Tai Po Tsuen and toppled onto its side, according to The South China Morning Post. The bus was speeding downhill at an estimated 42 mph it approached a turn in the road. The appropriate speed for the turn is 25-30 mph, according to the Morning Post. Vice-Chairman of the Federation of Bus Industry Trade Unions, Henry Hui Hon-kit, recalled situations where aggravated passengers became distracting for the driver, according to the Morning Post. “Basically almost every day bus drivers come across this situation of being scolded by passengers while driving,” Hon-kit said. “My highest record was being scolded three times during the same journey.” The bus was packed with approximately 140 seated and standing passengers, according to CNN. The driver, 30-year-old Chan Ho-ming, worked part-time as a driver for the Kowloon Bus company, according to Channel News Asia. Ho-ming was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and may face further charges of manslaughter, according to the Morning Post. Concerns have arisen over the combination of long working hours and low wages for bus drivers in the wake of the accident. Regulations established in 2010 limit drivers to working days of no more than 14 hours, with a maximum of 11 hours behind the wheel, according to The New York Times. “It is a question of how we can ensure the bus operation is safe in Hong Kong, which requires not only regulation on the part of the government, but also full support and cooperation of the bus companies,” Lam said, according to The New York Times.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, announced on Jan. 17 that North and South Korea will participate together in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games as a joint team under a joint flag, according to BBC. This announcement is not the first of its kind. The two countries previously marched together in Olympic opening ceremonies nine times in the past, most recently in the the Asian Winter Games in 2007, according to The New York Times. South Korea has been advocating for the use of sporting events as a means to thaw the political tension between the two countries since the 1960s, according to The New York Times. North Korea has used sports as symbolic gestures of reconciliation in the past, as evidenced by their previous experiences participating with South Korea, according to The Washington Post. Though Bach called the joint team a “milestone in a long journey,” as quoted by BBC, tensions between the nations remain. In addition to marching under the same flag, the two countries have created a unified hockey team with a South Korean coach. North Korea will send 22 athletes to compete in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, short track speed skating, figure skating and hockey, according to BBC. Some South Korean athletes are disdainful at the prospect of giving up their hard-earned spots for North Korean athletes, according to The New York Times. Prior to the start of the games, the unified team will train at a ski resort in North Korea before traveling to South Korea on Feb. 1, according to The New York Times. Since South Korea will host the games this year in Pyeongchang, North Korea is a de facto part of the host team. North Korean Olympic athletes experience a higher standard of living than the rest of the country’s citizens. Since King Jong-un assumed power in 2011, there has been increased spending on athletic facilities, according to The Washington Post. The gesture stands in sharp contrast to the threats of war between the leaders of North Korea and the United States, South Korea’s greatest ally, according to The New York Times. The question of peace remains unsolved between North and South Korea, which have technically been at war since Korean War ended with an armistice between the powers in 1953, according to The Washington Post.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Six people were killed and more than 200 were injured after riot police were unable to maintain control of an angry mob, in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. The protests resulted in the deployment of a paramilitary group known as the Rangers to Islamabad, according to BBC. The group behind the Nov. 25 and 26 protests, the Tehreek-i-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah party, were protesting for the resignation of Zahid Hamid, Pakistan’s Law Minister, the The Washington Post reported. The Tehreek-i-Labaik is one of the ultra-religious groups that have recently become prominent in Pakistan, the Hindustan Times reported. The group has blocked access to Islamabad since Nov. 6. The protests were caused by a change to the electoral oath that omitted a reference to the prophet Mohammed, according to The Washington Post. The move was seen as a blasphemous attempt to give power to the Ahmedis, a religious minority group. Pakistan’s former Law Minister blamed the omission on a “clerical error,” BBC reported. The Tehreek-i-Labaik focuses on reverence to Mohammed and support for strict anti-blasphemy laws, The Washington Post reported. Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the group’s leader, has been known to raise a spirit of outrage against blasphemy in his sermons. Blasphemy is considered a capital crime in Pakistan, and accusations of such have led to mob lynchings and other violent acts, according to The New York Times. In the deal struck between the Pakistani government and Rizvi’s group on Nov. 27, the government agreed to the terms of the group’s demands, including the release of detained protesters, an inquiry into the assault by riot police and public accounting of who was behind the law change being protested, according to The Washington Post. In exchange, the group agreed to not issue an edict against Hamid, thus sparing him from a mob lynching. Rizvi also called off multiple protests, The New York Times reported. BBC detailed the government’s efforts to conceal the protests, which included censoring reports on news and social media platforms. Some Pakistani citizens are dissatisfied with the state’s apparent surrender to extremist military groups, according to The New York Times. “A sad day when the state surrendered to the extremists. Now there is no stopping of those bigots,” wrote Twitter user @hidhussain on Nov. 27.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Mexico City hosted its second annual Day of the Dead Parade along a four-mile stretch of the Paseo de la Reforma on Saturday, Oct. 28, Deutsche Welle reported. The parade attracted 300,000 people, 100,000 more than last year, according to The New York Times. The parade included traditional Day of the Dead festivities, as well as a tribute to the victims of September earthquakes, Reuters reported. The parade coordinator, Julio Blasina, expressed an obligation to honor the victims while also making a show of resilience, according to The Independent. That obligation was especially important for the survivors of Mexico City, where 228 of the 500 earthquake victims died. “There are many people hurt by what happened and they are going to celebrate with more pleasure,” said one of the parade’s attendants, Eduardo Rivera, according to AFP. Another parade attendant expressed an alternate view. “We should continue to mourn a bit more than anything because of what happened,” said another parade attendant, Juan Diego Hernandez, according to AFP. The central element of the tribute to the earthquake victims was the parade float of a fist made of hard hats and pickaxes, The New York Times reported. Rescue workers followed behind the float with their fists held up in the air above their heads, the same source reported. Responders would raise their fist to call for silence to better hear people buried under the rubble, according to The Independent. In addition to the tribute at the parade, Mexico City’s central plaza, Zocalo Plaza, was arrayed with candle shrines, paper mache skulls and La Catrina figures in an homage to both the victims and the rescuers, ABC reported. La Catrina is an iconic Mexican skeleton figure dating back from the 19th century. People painted their face in the La Catrina-style and wore 19th century clothing, which is iconic of the holiday, Reuters explained. The inspiration of the parade stemmed from the opening scene of the 2015 James Bond film “Spectre,” according to Deutsche Welle. The James Bond film repopularized the Day of the Dead after years of favoring more American Halloween trick-or-treating festivities, The New York Times reported. The film brought back the traditional pre-Hispanic Day of the Dead celebrations in quiet cemeteries, where families would spend time with the deceased. Although the parade was sponsored by the Tourism and Culture Ministries, the celebration was not all about the Hollywood stamp of approval or tourism, according to Reuters. The parade’s organizers want to be clear that the parade was not simply meant to be a Hollywood movie scene reenactment, Deutsche Welle reported. It was meant to be a celebration of life just as much as a tribute to the dead.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer A devastating typhoon made landfall on the east coast of Japan on Monday, Oct. 23, only one day before elections for prime minister, according to CNN. Typhoon Lan escalated from a Category 1 to a Category 4 storm in one day in the Pacific Ocean, according to The Washington Post. A devastating typhoon made landfall on the east coast of Japan (envato elements). The storm weakened back to Category 2 by the time it hit Japan, according to Reuters. Typhoon Lan had a 60 to 65 mile diameter eye, and peak wind gusts of 155 miles per hour, The Washington Post reported. The storm generated a cloud field larger than the entire country of Japan and rainfall amounts reached a record of 35 inches in Shingu, a region southwest of Tokyo, CNN reported. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency ordered 200,000 people to evacuate, according to CNN. The agency has also advised an additional 2.2 million homes to be prepared to evacuate at any given moment. At least four people were killed, and an additional 130 were injured by the storm, according to Reuters. While the storm missed most of Toyko, Japan sustained heavy damage. Riverbanks burst and flooded the streets, according to CNN. Some homes were overcome by mudslides. Several hundred homes in western Japan were flooded, Al Jazeera reported. The nation also experienced widespread transportation issues. There were multiple train delays and about 350 flights were canceled, according to Al Jazeera. Ferry services were also delayed, some which included ballots for the election, The Japan Times reported. Accuweather reported a second typhoon is developing in the Philippines area, according to Al Jazeera. It is predicted to take a similar track as Typhoon Lan, which could cause a second wave of destruction in Japan.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer Police violence broke out on Sunday, Oct. 1, during the illegal referendum that ended with 761 injured citizens, according to The Guardian. The majority voted for independence. Fox News reported that the Spanish courts on Sept. 27 decided to investigate charges of sedition for organizers of the first attempted Catalan independence referendum protest. The Los Angeles Times reported that the Spanish central government blocked the highly anticipated independence referendum originally planned for Sept. 20. Catalonia historically has a strong identity that it considers separate from the rest of Spain, according to BBC. It is located in the northeastern corner of Spain, separated from France by the Pyrenees mountains. It is one of the most industrialized and wealthy regions of the world and home to 7.5 million residents, according to Reuters. BBC reported a nonbinding vote in 2014 determined that 80 percent of that population wanted to declare independence, but the Spanish government has made it clear Catalonia cannot constitutionally separate from Spain. The Los Angeles Times reported that Spain’s military police raided warehouses and government offices in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, detaining politicians for campaigning for the referendum. Madrid is fining arrested politicians between $7,000 and $12,000 each day until they cease their ballot, according to The Washington Post. The Guardian reported Spain’s attorney general, Jose Manuel Maza, stated that the Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, could also be arrested for misuse of the public funds Puigdemont used to go ahead with the poll. Puigdemont declared that the referendum will proceed nonetheless with the strong support of the people behind him, according to The Washington Post. Several thousands of Catalans in support of the referendum have taken to the streets to protest in front of the courts, which are symbols of the Spanish central government, The Washington Post wrote. The Guardian reported that campaigners are distributing ballots to encourage people to vote in the referendum. One student, Malena Palau, told The Washington Post, “We want to vote because we have the right to decide, regardless of what we vote.” The Washington Post reported that authorities have deployed additional security forces. The Guardian reported that independence fighters and the Spanish central government are also debating over whether the latter has taken control of the Catalan regional police, the Mossos d’Esquadra. Should Catalonia actually declare independence, it would not be dealing with the European Union that only talks to member states, according to Reuters. Catalonia would instead deal with Madrid. Reuters reported one reason some Catalans are pro-referendum is the desire to stop paying high government taxes that are used to fund poorer Spanish regions. Independence would also have significant ramifications for Spain. The nation would lose 20 percent of its total income, as Catalonia is one of the largest tourist hubs of Spain, The Guardian wrote. The Guardian reported that some residents are afraid that independence will mean separation from family members that have migrated to different parts of Spain. There was an outbreak of police violence on Sunday, Oct. 1, during the attempted referendum that ended with 761 injured citizens, according to The Guardian.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer The prime minister of Iceland, Bjarni Benediktsson, resigned on Sept. 16, after the discovery of a coverup of the government-backed pardoning for a convicted pedophile, according to the Los Angeles Times. The prime minister’s father, Benedikt Sveinsson, wrote a letter vouching for the good character of an “old friend.” This “friend” was convicted and jailed for raping his stepdaughter daily for the past 12 years, starting when his stepdaughter was 12 years old, BBC reported. The Icelandic people’s outrage lies in the fact that Benediktsson kept his knowledge of the letter private from the public, even though he was informed of his father’s letter in the summer, according to the Chicago Tribune. The prime minister’s father has apologized for writing the letter of recommendation for his “old friend.” He claimed he did not mean to remove responsibility from his friend or his actions, according to BBC. The letter written by the prime minister’s father has not only forced his son to resign from the presidency, but it has also further shook the already fragile political structure of the Icelandic government. The New York Times reported that citizens have a deep-rooted distrust of government and politicians, ever since all three of Iceland’s major banks failed in 2008. This distrust makes for a fragile government where Iceland has had five prime ministers since 2008. BBC reported Benediktsson was only elected with the support of the Center-Right Party, a coalition of the Bright Future Party, the Independence Party and the Reform Party. Together they managed to win a majority for Benediktsson by only one vote. The nine-month-old Bright Future party has decided that in light of Sveinsson’s lack of disclosure, they are leaving the Center-Right coalition, according to The Washington Post. Prime Minister Benediktsson expressed his faith in the resiliency of his party, the Independence Party, claiming that the small party system Iceland sees right now is not successful and believes that voters will support the established parties, according to Bloomberg. The Chicago Tribune reported that Benediktsson does not see a way for the Independence Party to regain a majority due to their departure from the Bright Future party. Iceland will have an election on Saturday, Nov. 4, following Benediktsson’s resignation, according to National Post.
By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer The Samsung Group heir and de facto business leader, Lee Jae-yong, was convicted on Aug. 25 on charges of bribery and sentenced to five years in prison, The New York Times reported. Lee was convicted for bribing former South Korean President Park Geun-hye in hopes of gaining government backing of a corporate merger that had been opposed by shareholders. The merger would have also given the Lee family greater control over the Samsung corporation, according to The New York Times. Samsung was founded, owned and operated by the Lee family starting in 1938, Fortune reported. South Korean family-owned business conglomerates like the Lees helped revive South Korea’s economy after the Korean war from 1950 to 1953, according to Reuters. By helping to transform the nation into a “global economic powerhouse,” families such as the Lee’s were given immunity from the law, according to Reuters. For example, Lee’s father, Lee Kun-hee, received two presidential pardons absolving him of any punishment for convictions of bribery and other charges, according to The New York Times. Now Reuters reports that these same families actually stunt economic growth by stifling the prospects of small businesses. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has already announced that there will be no more presidential pardons, according to BBC. Reuters also reports a rise in the share prices of Samsung when Lee was taken into custody, indicating public approval of the president’s action, and public disapproval of the youngest Lee. The youngest Lee, seen as awkward and nervous, only became the head of Samsung after health issues put Lee’s father into a coma. Whereas his father and grandfather commanded respect as leaders that participated in decision making, the youngest Lee was not taking part in the daily decision making of the business, The New York Times wrote. Lee even told the courts that “he mostly reads American and Japanese publications instead of South Korean news outlets, leaving him ignorant of which officials he would need to influence to begin with,” The New York Times reported. Lee and his lawyers have taken a stance of innocence, claiming that the documents signing over money as part of a bribe were signed without his understanding of their implications, according to The New York Times. Samsung opened an office near Lee’s jail, therefore, his imprisonment did not create a power vacuum, and will not impede the operations of the company, according to The New York Times. As for the president on the receiving end of those bribes, Park is facing her own trial and was forced to leave the position of the presidency, according to Fortune. However, she is not without supporters, as those who oppose her trial were seen protesting outside the court the day of Lee’s sentencing because of the ill omens it holds for Park.